Bank on Harry to life the Trophy at tempting 7-1, by Will Hayler

Harry Tricker looks a fair bet at 7-1 to take the Totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday. He surely won't still be available at that price on the day. While it still remains of the most exciting handicaps of the jumps season, the race has lost a little of its lustre in recent years, as although it still attracts horses who are potentially ahead of the handicapper, the highest-class performers tend to compete less in handicaps than was the case even at the start of the last decade.

With a number of the classier horses who were towards the top end of the weights taken out at yesterday's declaration stage, Harry Tricker's chance looked to improve considerably without his odds contracting as might have been expected.

Interestingly, despite the forecast for colder temperatures for the second half of this week, there is little rain predicted for Newbury and the going is unlikely to be too testing for Saturday's big meeting providing that the track can beat the frost and get the go-ahead.

Spirit River heads the betting, in no small part due to Nicky Henderson's habit of targetting this race successfully with similar lightly-raced improving types. He was a major eyecatcher at this track on his first start for the yard and scored easily at Cheltenham in December, but he has a 13lb higher mark to contend with here. He has plenty of size and should make a chaser in time, but in this line-up against speedy types could just find himself a yard short of pace, particularly if the ground holds up.

I much prefer the look of his fellow market-leader, Harry Tricker, who finished second in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham on his latest start – a race that could hardly be working out any better. Winner Khyber Kim now looks a genuine Champion Hurdle contender, while third-home Medermit is himself in line for that contest after beating last year's champion Punjabi at Haydock on his latest start.

Watching that race again, it's not impossible to argue that Harry Tricker ended up teeing the race up for Khyber Kim by quickening clear two out and giving his rival a target to chase down on the run-in.

Even the form of Harry Tricker's previous victory over Zabeel Palace at Sandown has worked out, and provided that the sheepskin cheekpieces which have helped to transform him continue to work their magic, then he is surely going to prove hard to beat despite the understandable hike in the weights which has taken place since his last run.

Wily Gary Moore may sometimes be a hard man to read in lower-grade contests, but he tends not to mess about when contesting these big prizes and has sent out the last two winners of this race. Moore also has his team in decent form at present with six winners in the last seven days.

With plenty of handicap experience already to his name, Harry Tricker doesn't fit the usual profile of this race's winners. But this isn't the race it used to be and his formbook claims are solid. He can be backed at 7-1 with Totesport, Coral and Stan James.

At longer odds, I'd be prepared to consider outsiders Numide (33-1 - Paddy Power and Hills) and Any Given Day (33-1 - Paddy Power). Any Given Day was travelling better than any of his rivals two out in the Challow Hurdle last time (race working out well), but didn't seem to get home in bottomless ground. He doesn't look particularly well-treated off his present rating, but is unexposed off the fast and frantic gallop he should enjoy on Saturday.

Numide, stablemate of Harry Tricker, was strongly fancied for this race last year only for the weather to intervene. He has been in and out since, and particularly disappointing when tried over fences, but it's interesting to note that Moore this week said he is happier now with the horse than he has been for some time and compared him favourably to the yard's previous two winners, Wingman and Heathcote.

Today's best bets, by Will Hayler

I'm a little wary of backing Nicky Henderson's runners at the moment, with the stable's season-long purple patch seemingly becoming a little more erratic in recent days. Although the yard are still firing in plenty of winners, there have also been some perplexingly poor performances by some of the stable's runners although it could be argued that it is punters' high expectations which were just as responsible for the four beaten favourites at the weekend.

Henderson hinted that he may have 'under-done' According for his hurdling debut at Sandown, but it's harder to find explanations for the poor runs of the likes of The Polomoche and Lord Ragnar. Nevertheless, I'm unable to resist the lure of backing the stable's Ranjobaie (2.00) at 3-1 at Market Rasen today.

On top of the 10lb weight allowance he gets from Bygones of Brid, conditional David Bass takes another 7lb off and gets an ideal chance to atone for a last-flight fall aboard the horse at Leicester two runs ago when Ranjobaie looked sure to break his duck for the stable. Bygones of Brid stays further than today's trip and I'm not entirely sure whether Timmy Murphy is the right jockey booking. If it comes to a sprint from the final flight, I hope Ranjobaie's turn of foot will prove the more potent.

Having spent most of Sunday at Phil Kirby's wonderful yard at the top of the Dales feeding polos and apples to Goldan Jess and Yawl Springs, I must declare an interest about the prospects of Cherryland (4.00) in the hunter chase. But if you can't squeeze some information from the man for whom you are writing two cheques every month, then what's the point of being an owner?

Kirby really rates Cherryland, a new arrival to his stable, as being the sort of horse who is capable of winning a hunter chase or two and he's certainly a good-looking animal. Nobody really knows what Cherryland is up against today (plenty of prolific point-to-point winners but little Rules form to speak of), but the booking of the experienced Dicky Barrett in itself says that Kirby means business. At 12-1, he's worth chancing for a stable which has a solid record with arrivals from other yards.

The form of Blue Nymph's (1.30) victory on her hurdling debut needs treating with a degree of caution and talk of the Triumph Hurdle may have been a little optimistic. However, it was hard not to be taken by the manner of her success as she jumped tidily, travelled well and quickened up immediately when asked. A lightly raced stayer on the Flat, she has still more to offer in this discipline and should hold a fitness advantage over hurdling newcomers who haven't raced since last autumn. I'll be disappointed if she's beaten.

Tipping competition, day two

As ever when we start the week with three short-priced winners, lots of you are off the mark but those of you who struck out don't have to worry too much as the leaders aren't uncatchably clear. 15244 and the in-form goofs both got the hat-trick up with winners at 100-30, 3-1 and even money.

For the first time ever, this week's prize is an item of clothing! Our winner can choose either a Denman scarf or a Kauto Star scarf, offered by those kind folks at Cheltenham racecourse. Whichever scarf is rejected will become next week's prize. Horse racing has finally started to produce merchandise! This must be the 21st century.

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not yet joined in this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -3.